Fortune Wok to Table — Restaurant in Denver

This very strange space in North Cherry Creek has been the graveyard of many restaurants during my time in Denver, but I think it has now found the perfect tenant. The downstairs space is confined by a staircase and the kitchen. It was set up as a bar for a long time, but the bar is gone and there's now seating for two dozen people. There's also a nice outdoor patio, shaded by a large tree. The upstairs is reserved for a formal dinner served at four tables per evening. We came for lunch, though.

This place has the most brilliant lunch menu I have ever seen with exactly three items: Jiaozi-style Dumplings, Shanghainese Street Noodles, and Jasmine Fried Rice. Each dish has a few variations. The dumplings can be steamed or fried and stuffed with pork, beef, or vegetables. The noodles and rice can be made with steak, shrimp, vegetables, or duck. There is also a gluten-free River Noodles option. That's it.

We started with hot Jasmine tea. The restaurant provided beautiful, porcelain, double-walled tea cups. I had never seen these before. They act like a thermos to keep the tea hot on the inside while keeping your fingers cool on the outside. What an ingenious idea! They worked perfectly.

We shared an order of seven fried pork dumplings and a plate of the duck fried rice. Simple dishes, but surprisingly tricky to get right. My friend and I agreed that both were the best executions of these dishes that we had ever tasted. I guess many people in the area agree. The restaurant was packed by noon and take-out orders were flying out of the kitchen.

Every single ingredient in the fried rice was clearly fresh. The pieces of duck were moist with an intense flavor. The rice was light and fluffy and all of the ingredients were distinct and tasty without a speck of grease. The dumplings were tender and crispy, fried to perfection, and with a delicious, fresh filling. The dipping sauce was also fresh and flavorful, but not salty.

The staff was helpful, efficient, and charming. The dishes came out of the kitchen quickly and were at the proper temperature. I really can't say enough good things about this restaurant. The owners know what they're doing and execute to...

After reading all the fantastic reviews about this restaurant, I was excited to give it a try since I happened to have been in the area. It seemed as if every single review I read, they all happened to be 5-star ratings with good experiences. The interior design of the restaurant itself is quite lovely. Very limited seating. Their menu is also very limited, having only Shanghainese Noodles, Curry, and Dumplings.

I love steamed dumplings and I get then whenever I can, so I ordered the pork steamed dumplings and I must say.. I wasn't too impressed. The dough was too thick, it didn't even taste like it was cooked all the way. Still floury on the inside. The pork meat was also.... Sour. And I don't know if that was the taste that they were aiming for, but if I didn't know better I would say that the meat was bad.

Next, I got the Shanghainese Noodles with Shrimp. At first glance, the presentation looked delicious! But I wish I could say the same after having a couple bites. The noodles were so salty to the point where I had to ask for an extra side of rice just so that the saltiness of the noodles wouldn't be too overwhelming. I love love love salty foods, and the noodles were too salty even for me. All of the shrimps were peeled but none of them were de-veigned.

We also got Curry Beef. The presentation didn't look too appetizing, and we were right. It was. The beef was under cooked and the curry had little to no seasoning.

Maybe one day I'll come back and give this restaurant another try. After all, I'd hate to be the one who stands against the crowds who gave this little restaurant constant 5-star ratings, but for now, I'm better off making these dishes in the comfort of...

This! This is why you should research restaurants online! We went to Fortune Wok to Table without doing any research, and we missed out on some of the best food and features this little spot has to offer. We went on a friend’s recommendation, and on the spur of a moment, too. Therefore, I did not look up previous reviews or scroll through user comments. I wish I had.

Now, my experience was not bad. It was nice enough. Very nice, even. But later, after I read “Fortune Wok to Table, a Hidden Gem in Cherry Creek” by Daliah Singer in The Denver Post (September 18, 2019), I realized we had missed out. Mark Antonation’s review, “New Shanghai-Style Restaurant Opens in Cherry Creek,” in Westword (November 27, 2017) reinforced this feeling.

I went at lunchtime with my wife, and we ordered the dumplings, mostly because they were most prominent items on the small menu. She ordered steamed vegetarian, I ordered fried pork. Both were absolutely delectable. They were very much like the gyoza that we buy at Whole Foods or Noodles… but they were definitely better. The sauce was a step above, too. Afterwards, though… afterwards, we noticed beautiful plates of noodles and shrimp being delivered to the next table. Another table received a plate of rice and veggies that looked just as enticing. Later, we learned that the quiet, intimate dining room has second floor above. We never even suspected!

We really enjoyed our visit. The small, simple, quiet dining room was very much to our liking, and the food was a notch above similar food we’ve had around town. Still, when we go back, we’ll try ordering some of the other dishes we saw… or that we’ve learned about, thanks to...